Puncture Resistant Workboot

ABSTRACT

A work boot has a midsole connected between an upper and a sob, the midsole having a plurality of layers of puncture resistant material lining an inner surface and side walls thereof. The side walls extend upwardly from a periphery of the inner surface of the midsole. Additional layers of puncture resistant material cover a bottom of the upper. An arch of the midsole also has a plurality of layers of puncture resistant fabric thereon. The midsole has a series of spaced apart cross members and a shank extending substantially perpendicular to the cross members to provide stability and to prevent reverse flexing of the work boot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a puncture resistant work boot having a sole,midsole, and upper where the midsole has a plurality of layers ofpuncture resistant fabric embedded therein along a bottom and upwardlyextending side walls of the midsole.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is known to have puncture resistant work boots having a plurality oflayers of puncture resistant fabric extending partially along a bottomof a midsole. However, previous puncture resistant work boots do notprovide adequate safety protection to a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a puncture resistantwork boot having a plurality of layers of a puncture resistant fabricembedded therein where the layers of puncture resistant fabric cover thebottom of the midsole and have side walls extending upward from aperiphery of a bottom.

A puncture resistant work boot comprises a sole, midsole, and an upper,the midsole having a plurality of puncture resistant layers embeddedtherein. The midsole has a bottom and side walls extending upward from aperiphery of the bottom and the puncture resistant line the midsole andhave a bottom and at least one side wall extending upward from aperiphery of a bottom. The sole is connected to the midsole and themidsole is connected to the upper.

Preferably, there are five puncture resistant layers stitched directlyto a bottom of an upper.

Still more preferably, there are a plurality of puncture resistantlayers extending over an arch of the midsole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a work boot having an upper,midsole and outsole;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a work boot having a transparentportion;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a midsole and outsole;

FIG. 4 is an inside side view of the midsole and outsole;

FIG. 5 is an outside side view of the midsole and outsole;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the midsole and outsole;

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the midsole and outsole along theSection A-A of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the midsole and outsole;

FIG. 9 is a sectional end view of the midsole and outsole along theSection B-B of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 is a sectional end view of the midsole and outsole along theSection C-C of FIG. 6;

FIG. 11 is a sectional end view of the midsole and outsole along theSection D-D of FIG. 6;

FIG. 12 is an end view of a heel of the midsole and outsole; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a work boot with the upper partiallyseparated from the midsole and the midsole partially separated from theoutsole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a work boot 2 having an outsole 4,midsole 5 and upper 8. In FIG. 1, there is shown an exploded view andthe midsole 6 has a plurality of puncture resistant layers 10. Thelayers 10 are located along an inner surface 12 of the midsole 6 andside walls 13 extending upward around a periphery 14 of the midsole 6.The outsole 4 has a tread 18 thereon. In FIG. 2, the puncture resistantlayers 10 are shown as cross-hatching on the surface of the midsole 8and side wall 13 that the layers 10 cover. The cross hatching is onlypartially shown on the surfaces that are preferably covered entirely bythe puncture resistant layers 10.

In FIG. 3, an outsole 4 and midsole 8 is shown with the midsole 6 havinga plurality of puncture resistant layers 10 thereon on top of the innersurface 12 (not shown in FIG. 3) of the midsole 8 and on the top of partof the side walls 13. The midsole 8 has cross members 18 that are spacedapart from one another and extend across the midsole 8 above theplurality of puncture resistant layers 10. A shank 20 extends along arear portion of the midsole 8 and rests on the cross members 18. Aplurality of puncture resistant layers 22 extend along an interiorsurface of the arch of the midsole 8. Preferably, the layers 10 coverthe side walls 13 entirely.

In FIGS. 4 to 13, there are shown further views of the midsole 6 andoutsole 4. The same reference numerals are used in FIGS. 4 to 13 asthose used in FIGS. 1 to 3 for those components that are identical. InFIG. 5, the puncture resistant layers 10 are slightly smaller than themidsole 6 to fit inside, the midsole 8. While FIG. 5 shows the layers 10as having an identical shape to the midsole 6, the layers 10 can beshaped in various ways to fit within the midsole 6 without beingidentical thereto.

In FIG. 13, there is shown an upper 8, midsole 6 and outsole 4,preferably made from high traction rubber, that are partially attachedto one another. The upper 8 has laces 24 and is bent forward so thatonly a toe portion 28 is mounted to a corresponding toe portion 28 ofthe midsole 8. A bottom 30 of the midsole 6 has five layers of fabricplate 32 affixed thereto. The same reference numerals are used in FIG.11 as those used In FIGS. 1 to 10 for those components that areidentical. The shank 20, preferably made, fromthermoplasticpolyurethene, provides added stability to the work boot andcounters against reverse-flex. The midsole 6 is preferably made fromethylvinylacetate foam. In addition, the midsole 6 has at feast twopuncture resistant layers 10 embedded into a chassis 34 of the midsole6. The puncture resistant layers 10 are preferably comprised of layersof puncture resistant fabric.

The workboot of the present invention protect a user (not shown) byhaving a plurality of puncture resistant layers that are preferablyarranged to protect against puncture for two or more of a bottom, sides,and arch of a foot (not shown) of the user. Still preferably, thepuncture resistant layers extend from heel to toe.

1. A puncture resistant work boot comprising a sole, a midsole and upper, the midsole having a plurality of puncture resistant layers embedded therein, the midsole having an inner surface and side walls extending upward from a periphery of the inner surface, the puncture resistant layers lining the midsole and having a bottom and at least one side wall extending upward from a periphery of the bottom, the sole being connected to the midsole and the midsole being connected to the upper.
 2. A work boot as claimed in claim 1 wherein the layers of puncture-resistant material line the side walls of the midsole.
 3. A work boot as claimed in claim 2 wherein there are a further plurality of puncture resistant layers affixed to a bottom of the upper.
 4. A work boot as claimed in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of puncture resistant layers on an arch of the midsole.
 5. A work boot as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein there are cross members extending across the midsole, the cross members being spaced apart from one another.
 6. A work boot as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 where cross members extend across the midsole and are anchored on sides thereof, support a shank extending substantially perpendicular to the cross members.
 7. A work boot as claimed in any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the puncture resistant layers are layers of puncture resistant fabric.
 8. A puncture resistant work boot comprising a sole, a midsole and upper, the midsole having an inner surface and side walls extending upward from a periphery of the inner surface, with a plurality of puncture resistant layers covering the inner surface and at least part of the side walls and extending at least from heel to toe and from side wall to side wall of said midsole, the midsole being connected between the upper and the sole to form the work boot. 